The Pinnacle Experience: a Digest From Dallas

October 25, 2018

The second annual Pinnacle Experience was held October 17-19 in Dallas at the Four Seasons Dallas at Las Colinas. This conference experience, crafted especially for senior marketing leaders, focused on key issues facing A/E/C marketers today, such as resiliency, strategic planning, technology, and other forward-thinking trends.

The sold-out program emphasized the “experience” of attendees, offering opportunities to engage with other attendees while exploring various learning styles in a symposium-style conference. Presenters shared thought-provoking research topics, engaging videos, and opportunities for small group discussions. In this more intimate venue, attendees were able to share and even co-contribute to the discussions in real time.

Highlights from The Pinnacle Experience presenters included:

“A prototype doesn’t have to be a thing” was a concept share by IDEO CMO, Whitney Mortimer. In other words, sharing an idea as a prototype offers the opportunity to uncouple a concept from a presenter, which allows more opportunities for objective feedback from your audience.

“If you take care of your employees, they’ll take care of your customer” is a corporate value at The Container Store, shared by Recruiting Manager and former A/E/C marketer, Rachel Kennedy.

Julie Huval, marketer from Beck Technology, reminded attendees that, “Technology doesn’t solve the problem,” and urged the audience to map their own processes to see how technology might be best utilized.

Bob Fisher and Jennifer Sebranek shared the behind-the-scenes process of building a truly transformative brand and the power of including vocal detractors in the process of co-creating.

Dr. Pravin Nath investigated “What Makes a Powerful CMO” and the importance of the marketing leader to really understand and own the voice of the customer within our firms.

JonRobert Tartaglione shared his findings from the SMPS Foundation research paper on understanding client decision-making processes.

Our provocateur, Stacy Stout, masterfully wove together the content, encouraging attendees to connect the dots between each talk.

And closing keynote, Jackie Dryden, author of “Get Your Head Out of Your Bottom Line,” encouraged us to all consider our passions, what impact we can make, and how to be “lifted by purpose.”

In addition to the incredible value delivered by our presenters, the experience didn’t end there. SMPS CEO Michael V. Geary showcased a few of his favorite brands and surprises throughout the conference, including samples from Jenni’s Ice Cream, socks from Bombas, Shinola notebooks, Tiffany pens for our presenters, and a special offer from The Container Store and the Four Seasons, our host for The Pinnacle Experience.

Serving a unique place in the SMPS knowledge and professional development portfolio, The Pinnacle Experience has maintained an intentionally smaller size, to focus on the over-arching experience and allow the opportunity to connect with other attendees during and after the conference ends.

Attendees departed from Dallas energized and equipped with new ideas and tools to add value to themselves and their firms.

Next year’s experience is sure to sell out as well. Save the date for The Pinnacle Experience 2019: November 13-15, 2019, in Denver, Colorado, at the Four Seasons Hotel Denver. And check our website in the coming weeks for more information and registration for 2019.